LEARN HOW TO PLAY:

www.wearehubgames.com/holding-on

TM

RULE BOOK

WARNING: The Partial Memory and Clear Memory Cards are only revealed during
the game. While we can’t stop you from looking at the cards in advance, it will diminish
the sense of discovery that lies at the heart of playing Holding On.
 It’s already been a long night for you COMPONENTS
and the rest of the Palliative Care Team.
The sun is rising when the Head Nurse
calls you into a side ward. ‘This one’s
tough,’ she says as you enter. ‘Here,’ –
she hands you a chart. Patient’s name,
Billy Kerr; age, 60; taken off a flight from BILLY PAWN

Sydney to London following a massive

heart attack. ‘A weaker man would
be dead already. I think we have to be
prepared for the worst. I want you and 4 NURSE PAWNS

your team to make sure his remaining

THIS RULE BOOK SHIFT MANAGER BOARD 39 PATIENT CARDS 3 ASSISTANT
days are as comfortable as they can be.’ PAWNS

OVERVIEW 30 29 28
27 25 23 21 19 17 15 13 11 09 07 05 03 01 2 ON-CALL
ASSISTANT
26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 08 06 04 02
PAWNS
Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr is a co-operative game where
players work as Nursing Staff tasked with providing care for the terminally
ill. Your latest patient has been rushed in following a massive heart attack I
on a flight from Sydney to London. When the game begins all you know is I I I 12 STRESS

I
TOKENS
this - his name is Billy Kerr, he is 60 years old, and he has been given days

I
I
I

I
I
to live. Players must work together to provide Billy with appropriate care,
responding to medical emergencies while gaining his trust. Over the course 24 CARE
TOKENS
of ten linked and fully replayable Scenarios, you will need to piece together I I I
I

I
I
I
I

I
a lifetime of memories while being drawn deeper into his troubled past. As

I
I

you discover more about Billy, can you help him find the courage required to GAME BOARD 2 WARNING
TOKENS
confront the three regrets that keep him holding on?
These rules cover the three-player game. Some minor adjustments are
10 TRACKING
required when playing with two or four players. Those alterations can be WHO IS BILLY KERR? INTRODUCTION 1
TOKENS
found on page 11. On her way out, the Head Nurse turns to you. ‘Listen out for any clues that might

PERSON
help us discover his next of kin, let them know he’s being looked after.’ You don’t
know how conscious Billy is of his surroundings, whether he can even hear you,

AL!
but you talk anyway about Australia—whether anyone there might be worried
about him—and when there is no response to that, about London.

REVEAL THI
S CARD ONLY
CONTINUE READING >
WHEN READY Holding her that first time…
SCENARIO 1 #1B TO PLAY she was so perfect.

SCENARIO 1

72 NARRATIVE CARDS 35 CLEAR MEMORY CARDS 35 PARTIAL MEMORY CARDS CONTACT TILE
(including 5 Event Cards) (including 5 Event Cards)

2
SETTING UP
5
14
15
13
Place the Game Board [1] leaving room below it for Billy’s Collected Memories
which will be added during the game. Take the top three cards for Scenario 1 from
the Narrative Deck and place them above the board [2], ensuring no cards are
accidentally revealed. The cards in this deck are in a fixed order, so do not shuffle
them. Take the Patient Deck, shuffle it, then place it on the marked space on the
board [3]. Separate the Partial Memory Deck [4] and Clear Memory Deck [5],
placing them both near the board.
Place the Billy Pawn on space 28 of the Condition Track [6]. Have each player
choose a Nurse Pawn to represent them. Place these Pawns along with two
Assistant Pawns on the Break Room area [7]. Place the two On-Call Assistant
Pawns on their marked positions [8] next to the On Leave space [9].
2 11
6
1
3 7
Place the Care Tokens [10], Stress Tokens [11] and Warning Tokens [12] in three
separate piles near the board. Each player begins the game with one Care Token.
Tracking Tokens are not required to play the game. They are provided in case you
want to keep track of specific Memory cards in play. Return the Contact Tile to the
box. It is not required for the first Scenario.
Randomly select a starting player and give them the Shift Manager board [13]. It is
the Shift Manager’s responsibility to prepare the Scenario.
To prepare the first Scenario, draw the first card titled Personal - Scenario 1
from the Narrative Deck. Flip the card and read aloud Introduction 1 to all
players. When finished, place this on the Setup space of the board [14]. Take the
next card and continue reading with Introduction 2.
10 12
16
8 9
BILLY’S COLLECTED MEMORIES: A key aspect of Holding On
involves discovering important moments from five significant
periods of Billy’s life. Each period is called a Timeline. These
Timelines are organised into a virtual five-by-six grid of linked
Memory Cards, forming Billy’s Collected Memories. You will rarely
(if ever) complete the entire grid in one game. Instead, players
should use it as a rough guide when adding and linking any Partial
Memory and Clear Memory Cards they obtain.
When finished reading, flip the card to the side marked Setup & Rules. This side
includes any Scenario specific changes to game setup the Shift Manager must
follow and/or any additional rules the players must observe during the game.
Place the Setup and Rules card over the Introduction 1 card [14].
Draw the next card from the Narrative Deck. This is the Objective Card. Read
out the Objective, ensuring all players understand what is required to successfully
complete the Scenario. Place this on the Objective space on the board [15]. Do
not read the other side until you complete the Objective.
Later Scenarios will make use of the area marked [16].
You are now ready to play.
3
 OVERVIEW SCENARIOS THE CARE TEAM
Holding On is played out over ten linked Scenarios. Successfully completing There are three different types of Staff found in Holding On; Nurses,
The Scenarios are played in order with each one building on the last. a Scenario Assistants and On-Call Assistants. Each player controls a Nurse,
A Scenario is successfully completed when the Scenario while Assistants are controlled by the Nurse currently acting as Shift
Set-up and Rules WHO IS BILLY KERR? SETU Objective is met. After completing an Objective, you will Manager for the day (see Shift Manager Duties, page 6). On-Call
To play a new Scenario follow the CHANGES TO SETUP
SETUP::
There are no changes
P & RUL ES
to setup for this Scenar be instructed to flip the Objective Card to reveal the Assistants are also controlled by the Shift Manager and are there to help
Setting Up instructions on page 3.
io.

Scenario Outcome. out at difficult times. The Shift Manager duty rotates to the next player at
Some Scenarios will introduce the start of each day.
additional cards or components.
ADDITIONAL
IONALRULES
RULES::
There are no additional
rules for this Scenario.
Cards from completed Scenarios can be kept in the
Follow the specific instructions as extra storage space provided in the box. You may also be The table below outlines the abilities and actions available to each type
described on the Set Up and Rules SCENARIO 1 asked to set specific cards aside for later use. of Staff.
Cards, referring to this rulebook for a
#2B

Losing a Scenario
detailed explanation of any keywords you encounter.
Players immediately lose the current Scenario if Billy ON-CALL
Note: Even though Scenario 1 makes no changes to the basic setup and rules found in dies or is transferred away from the ward. NURSES ASSISTANTS
ASSISTANTS*
this rulebook, a Setup & Rules Card is provided for the sake of consistency.
Billy dies if: CONTROLLED BY INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS SHIFT MANAGER SHIFT MANAGER
Scenario Objectives ⋅ The Billy Pawn reaches the final space on the
WHO
Each Scenario has an Objective that IS BILLY KERR? OBJECTIV
E PROVIDES
Unearth some basic
information about your Condition Track. MEDICAL CARE
must be met before players can new patient.

progress further through the game. Players must have at

⋅ The Patient Deck is empty at the start of a new day.
least 1

While each Objective is unique, they

of Billy’s Collected Memo Clear Memory in each Timeline (1-5)
PROVIDES
Billy will be transferred if:
ries.
PALLIATIVE CARE
will usually require players to have
⋅ The players do not have enough Nurses, Assistants
specific Clear Memory Cards present
COMPLETE OBJEC
TIVE TO FLIP

CAN USE
THIS CARD AND

or On-Call Assistants available to cover a Shift (see

REVEAL THE
SCENARIO 1 OUTCOME >

in Billy’s Collected Memories. Where #3A

BREAK ROOM
Assigning Staff, page 6).
required, the Objective Card will depict the Partial Memory Card versions of
these memories to aid players in their search. Some Objectives will include ⋅ The players receive a second Warning (see Hospital CAN GAIN
Warnings, page 10). STRESS
additional requirements for players to meet.
Players may not progress to the next Scenario until they have achieved the REPLAYING EARLIER SCENARIOS: CAN USE
INQUIRE
current Scenario’s Objective. If players fail a Scenario, they may attempt it It is possible to replay previously completed
again as many times as necessary in order to successfully complete it. Only Scenarios. See Replaying a Completed Scenario, CAN USE
then may they proceed to the next Scenario. page 11, for instructions on how to do so. CALL ACTION

*On-Call Assistants can be called in to help for a single day. They leave the
hospital and are set aside during End of Day Duties.

4
BILLY’S CONDITION PATIENT CARDS
There are three different types of Patient Cards found in Holding On; Deteriorating, Stable and Emergency.
CONDITION DETERIORATES CONDITION STABLE CONDITION IMPROVES A Patient Card will be drawn for each Shift and must be completely dealt with before players can progress.
[CONDITION -1] [NO CHANGE] [CONDITION+1]
DETERIORATING STABLE EMERGENCY

In Holding On, Billy's Condition will change throughout the game.

All Patient Cards and some Event Cards feature these symbols. How they impact Billy
1
will be based upon which of these icons, and how many, appear on the card.
2 3 8
START HERE
30–14 13–08 07–04 03-0 /
5 / 6
4

7 9
EVENTS
VERSION
EVENTS
VERSION

The Condition Track records Billy’s deteriorating condition throughout the game and is divided into four different
coloured stages. These colours are referred to when resolving Event Cards (see Events, page 8).
The Billy Pawn is used to track Billy's condition and begins each Scenario at 28 on the Condition Track. While he
may temporarily improve beyond this, he will inevitably slide towards zero with each passing day. All Patient Cards
and some Event Cards will impact Billy’s Condition. The effect will be based upon which of these icons, and how
many, appear on the card.
[1] STAFF SPACES. This shows how many Staff are required to cover the Shift.
[2] MEDICAL CARE SYMBOL. Players can choose to provide Medical Care to improve Billy's Condition or slow
his deterioration.
[3] PALLIATIVE CARE SYMBOL. Players can choose to provide Palliative Care, spending time with Billy to gain
Partial Memories and/or Care Tokens.
[4] BILLY IS DETERIORATING. Billy's Condition will drop by one space for each Deterioration shown if he
does not receive Medical Care during this shift.
[5] BILLY IS STABLE. Providing Medical Care will improve Billy's Condition (+1) on the Condition Track.

If Billy’s Condition ever reaches zero on the Condition Track, he dies and players lose that game immediately. The
current Scenario must be attempted again in order to progress.
⋅ Billy’s Condition will worsen if Medical Care is not provided when a Patient Card shows Deterioration .
⋅ When Billy is Stable , his Condition can be improved with Medical Care (see Medical Care, page 7).
⋅ Some Event Cards can result in an immediate improvement or deterioration in Billy’s Condition.
[6] CARE TOKENS & PARTIAL MEMORIES. This is the number of Partial Memories and/or Care Tokens
players will receive by providing Palliative Care.
[7] Players may use the INQUIRE ACTION to learn more about the Partial Memories in Billy's Collected Memories.
[8] During a MEDICAL EMERGENCY, players can only provide Medical Care as they attempt to prevent a
significant decline in Billy's Condition.
[9] Staff will receive a single CARE TOKEN if they can completely avert the emergency.

5
 A DAY AT THE HOSPITAL
Each round in Holding On represents one day at the hospital. A day is broken
down into three separate Shifts - Morning, Day and Night. Beginning with the
Morning Shift, the Shift Manager will reveal a Patient Card that indicates what
happens to Billy during that Shift. They will then assign Staff to the Shift. When
assigned, Staff will be faced with the dilemma of what kind of care to provide
at that time. The decision of what to do on a Shift must be weighed against the
level of trust players have with Billy, his current Condition and any Stress Staff
might be carrying. They must also find time to learn about Billy’s past in order
to meet the Scenario Objective. This is repeated for the Day and Night Shifts.
Every day at the hospital will play out in the following way:
HANDOVER - Pass the Shift Manager Board to the next player who becomes
the Shift Manager for that day.
MORNING SHIFT - Shift Manager reveals a Patient Card and assigns Staff to
deal with the Shift (see Shift Manager Duties). Assigned Staff then decide how
best to handle the shift (see Caring for Billy, page 7).
SEND ON LEAVE (optional) - Shift Manager decides whether to send
unassigned Staff On Leave (see Stress, page 10).
AFTERNOON SHIFT - same as MORNING SHIFT.
NIGHT SHIFT - same as MORNING SHIFT.
END-OF-DAY DUTIES - When all three Shifts are finished:
⋅ Check for Hospital Warnings (page 10).
⋅ Any Staff in the Break Room at the end of the day were able to spend time
with Billy, building trust. They gain two Care Tokens each.
GATHER CARE TEAM
⋅ Return Staff Pawns from their Shifts to the Break Room.
⋅ On-Call Assistants working today are removed and no longer available.
⋅ Any Staff currently On Leave now return to the Break Room, Stress free.
⋅ Any Overstressed Staff (see Stress, page 10) must go On Leave at this point.
⋅ Prepare for next day - Discard Patient Cards and return to the pool any Care
Tokens placed on the board during the day.
TALK ABOUT BILLY - Players share what they have learned from their
interactions with Billy during the day.
6
HANDOVER
During game setup, players will have chosen who will be Shift Manager for the first day. On subsequent rounds (during Handover) the
responsibility passes to the player on the left of the current Shift Manager. The Shift Manager Board is passed along with any Care
Tokens currently held by the Assistants and/or Hospital Warnings players have received.
SHIFT MANAGER DUTIES
Reveal Patient Card Providing Cover
Each Shift begins with the Shift Manager revealing a Patient Card and placing it If there are not enough Staff available to fill all spaces on a Shift, the
face up in the next available Shift space on the board. Shift Manager has three choices:
⋅ bring in one or both of the On-Call Assistants, if available.
Assigning Staff
The Shift Manager must now assign Staff. Each Shift will require between ⋅ re-assign a Nurse, Assistant or On-Call Assistant from the previous
one and three members of Staff. Any combination of available Nurses, Shift to cover the current shift. After moving, Nurses and Assistants
Assistants and On-Call Assistants can be assigned to a Shift. will gain Stress (page 10). On-Call Assistants will not gain Stress.
⋅ have any Nurse or Assistant assigned to the current Shift provide
To assign a member of Staff to a Shift, move their Pawn from the Break
additional cover for up to two other members of Staff, gaining Stress for
Room and place it on an open Staff space. The first player whose Pawn is
each unoccupied space. On-Call Assistants cannot be used in this way.
placed on a Patient Card is the senior member of Staff for that Shift, and will
make the final decision on what action should be taken. If only Assistants See Stress (page 10) for more information about its impact on the Care Team.
are used, the Shift Manager will make the decision.
Assigned Staff must deal with the Patient Card for the current Shift before
the Shift Manager can reveal a Patient Card for the next Shift.
Example: The Assistant assigned to the Morning Shift cannot be re-assigned
to the Night Shift, as it was not the previous Shift. The Nurse on the Day Shift
Example: The Shift Manager moves the Assistant Pawn from the Break Room
to the second Staff space. With two Staff now assigned, this Shift is covered. is re-assigned to cover the Night Shift, gaining Stress. They gain another
The Nurse (Yellow Pawn) is the senior member of Staff and will decide what Stress for providing additional cover. The On-Call Assistant covers the third
kind of Care to provide. Staff space.
If the Shift Manager still cannot assign enough Staff to cover a Shift fully,
then the players receive a Hospital Warning (see page 10).
THE NIGHT SHIFT: Once all Staff spaces on the Night Shift have been filled and the Shift is covered, one Care Token is immediately gained.
This is given to a single member of the assigned Staff and can be used during this Shift. This bonus is only received during Night Shifts.
CARING FOR BILLY
After Staff have been assigned to a Shift, they must decide which kind of
care they will provide for Billy. Maintaining a good balance of care is vital
if Staff are to support Billy both physically and mentally.
During a Shift, assigned Staff must provide either Medical Care
OR Palliative Care, never both.
Players should discuss their preferred approach and come to a collective
decision. If they fail to do this, the final decision is left to the most senior
member of Staff.
Players must provide Billy with Medical Care at least once per
day. Failure to do so will result in a Hospital Warning.
A Shift ends after players have provided either Medical or Palliative Care.
On a day where Billy is Stable, the players also have the opportunity to
Inquire (see page 9) before finishing the Shift.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
During the game, Billy will experience Medical Emergencies where his
Condition is failing dramatically. Players can only provide Medical Care
during an emergency. If all symbols are covered, then the emergency
is averted. If an emergency is successfully averted, assigned Staff earn
Billy’s trust and may claim one single Care Token. This is immediately
given to a Nurse or Assistant who was assigned to the Shift. If players do
not cover all symbols, they have failed to avert the emergency. Move
the Billy Pawn down the Condition Track a number of spaces equal to the
symbols left uncovered. No Care Token is gained.
Example: By using four
Care Tokens to cover all
the symbols on the
Patient Card, the emergency
is averted, and the players
earn Billy’s trust, gaining
one Care Token.
MEDICAL CARE
Providing Medical Care will help keep Billy alive longer, but in doing
so you miss the opportunity to build trust or learn about Billy’s past.
Assigned Staff may spend Care Tokens they have previously gained to
provide Medical Care. Nurses may choose to use Care Tokens belonging to
Assistants also assigned to the current Shift.
Medical Care works in the following two ways:
For each symbol on the Patient Card, assigned
Staff may use a Care Token to cover it, cancelling the
negative impact on Billy’s Condition. While you do
not have to fill all spaces on a Patient Card with Care
Tokens, doing so keeps Billy alive for longer. Once
Medical Care is given, move the Billy Pawn one space / TOKEN
/
down the Condition Track for each left uncovered.
Example: By using two Care Tokens to cover the
symbols on the Patient Card, Billy’s Condition will
only drop by one.
When Billy’s Condition is Stable, a single Care Token
may be used to cover the symbol. This improves
Billy’s Condition. Move the Billy Pawn one space up
the Condition Track.
Example: By using a Care Token to cover the
symbol on the Patient Card, Billy’s Condition will
improve by one.
PALLIATIVE CARE
Providing Palliative Care allows you to gain Billy’s trust and/or learn about
his past. In doing so you forego providing Medical Care. As a result, if his
condition is deteriorating, it will immediately drop by the number of
symbols shown on the Patient Card. If Billy’s condition is Stable ,
there is no change in his state.
By choosing to provide Palliative Care, the assigned Staff gain Care Tokens
from the supply and/or a number of cards from the Partial Memory Deck
(see page 8) equal to the amount depicted on the Patient Card. If there is
an option, the senior member of Staff makes the final decision.
/
GAIN 1 CARE DRAW 1 PARTIAL GAIN 1 CARE TOKEN OR DRAW
MEMORY CARD 1 PARTIAL MEMORY CARD
CARE TOKENS
Care Tokens gained throughout the game represent the level of
trust Billy has in the hospital Staff. Care Tokens are primarily used to provide
Medical Care and to Inquire about Clear Memories (See Inquiry Action, page
9). They may also be used to deal with certain Event Cards. Finally, Care
Tokens may be used to Focus Billy's Attention as a way of finding specific
Partial Memories (see Rules for Scenario 2 and Beyond, page 11).
Care Tokens in the Assistants pool can only be used to provide Medical
Care when an Assistant or On-Call Assistant is assigned to a Shift. Nurses
may not use Care Tokens from the Assistant pool when Inquiring.
Gaining Care Tokens
Care Tokens can be gained by all Staff and come primarily from providing
Palliative Care. A single additional Care Token is always earned during the
Night Shift. Any unassigned Staff remaining in the Break Room at the end
of the day also gain Care Tokens.
Any Care Tokens gained by Assistants go to a collective pool on the Shift
Manager Board. Nurses are responsible for their own Care Tokens and may
hold a maximum of six at any given time.
7
 PARTIAL MEMORIES EVENTS
Billy will initially be reluctant to talk about his past. By providing Palliative Care, players will gain Event Cards can be found in both Partial Memory and Clear Memory Decks, and have a
Billy's trust. As a result, Billy will share Partial Memories from his life. different effect depending on Billy’s Condition at the time.
The back of the Partial Memory Card shows which of the five Timelines in which it appears. I still remem
I stillberer usmboem
th dancing
When an Event Card is drawn:
ber us
It also contains a quote from Billy that conveys his thoughts about the event depicted on
and singin g to both dancing
an the Beatles.
d singing to
the Beatles. ⋅ Reveal the card immediately;
the card. The front of the card shows a blurred scene featuring Billy. This visually represents
⋅ Check Billy’s position on the Condition Track. It will determine the severity of the Event.
his reluctance to reveal all at this time. The edges of each card have ‘stitches’ to help with
placing the card in Billy’s Collected Memory (see Talk About Billy, page 9). ⋅ Resolve the Event (see Icon List, page 12).
time…
that first
first time…
olrdthinat gpehrfeerct.
HoldingHhe ct. Remember, Event Cards still count towards the number of cards drawn unless the Ignore
as so perfe
Gaining Partial Memories she was so
she w
Event symbol is triggered.
Whenever assigned Staff decide to gain Partial Memories as a result of providing Palliative Care,
they must first agree who will be talking to Billy. Hand the Partial Memory Deck to a different Note: Some events will be represented by multiple symbols.
player and have them shuffle it. This person will act on behalf of Billy, sharing his memories.
For each Partial Memory that Billy shares: Example 1: This Event Card appears in the Partial Memory
⋅ The player acting on behalf of Billy draws a card face down from the BOTTOM of the deck. Deck. If Billy’s Condition is in the green or orange stages
of the Condition Track, the event is a Quiet Moment and Billy
⋅ If an Event is drawn, reveal and resolve it immediately (see Events on this page). Event does not share a memory. If Billy’s Condition is in the red,
Cards still count towards the number of cards drawn, unless an Ignore Event is triggered. you may still encourage Billy to talk by using one Care Token
⋅ If a Memory is drawn, keep it FACE DOWN while reading out Billy’s recollection on the back of the card. to draw a Partial Memory ignoring Events. If Billy’s Condition
⋅ Then, still keeping it face down, pass the Partial Memory to the assigned member of Staff who spoke with Billy. Cards received by is in the Black, he refuses to talk any further; stop drawing
Assistants are placed on the Shift Manager Board. cards immediately.
⋅ Once a card has been drawn for each on the Patient Card, Billy stops talking. Return any Event Cards you may have drawn back
to the Partial Memory Deck. Example 2: This Event Card appears in the Clear Memory
Remember, any Memory Cards drawn MUST REMAIN FACE DOWN UNTIL THE END OF THE ROUND. Deck. If Billy’s Condition is in the green stage of the Condition
Track, the event is ignored and the next Clear Memory Card is
drawn instead. If Billy’s Condition is orange, he changes the
subject (see Icon List, page 12). If Billy’s Condition is in the
red, he changes the subject and the card is removed from the
game. If Billy’s Condition is in the Black, he refuses to talk
any further; stop drawing cards immediately.
In later Scenarios certain Event Cards may be removed or new
ones introduced. This will be indicated on the Setup and Rules
DRAWING CARDS: At various times during the game you will be asked to Card for that Scenario.
draw cards on behalf of Billy from the Partial Memory or Clear Memory
Decks. Remember to ALWAYS draw from the BOTTOM of these decks.
This will ensure that cards drawn remain a surprise.

8
CLEAR MEMORIES TALK ABOUT BILLY
At the end of a Shift where Billy from the nominated Timeline is drawn. Ignore any Memory Cards from After work, the Care Team come together to share what they have learned
is Stable, AFTER providing either other Timelines that are drawn. about Billy. Partial Memories and Clear Memories will be played to Billy’s
Medical OR Palliative Care, ⋅ If an Event is drawn, reveal and resolve it immediately (See Events, page Collected Memories, revealing key moments from his past. Players always
assigned Nurses may Inquire 8). Event Cards still count towards the number of cards drawn, unless an place Partial Memory Cards in Billy’s Collected Memories first, before
about Billy’s past in an attempt Ignore Event is triggered. checking and placing Clear Memory Cards.
to gain greater understanding of
⋅ If a Memory from the nominated Timeline is drawn, keep it FACE DOWN Place Partial
the Partial Memories in Billy's
and pass it to the inquiring Nurse. Memories
Collected Memories. These take
The assigned Nurse now has three options. They may keep Inquiring about Just like a jigsaw, every Partial
the form of Clear Memory Cards.
the same timeline, change subject and Inquire about a different timeline, or Memory has one correct position in
The back of each Clear Memory stop Inquiring. Billy’s Collected Memories. Use the
Card shows the Timeline in which stitch symbols on all four edges of each card to help you link them with
it appears. The front of the card ⋅ To Inquire about the same timeline, perform the Inquiry Action above adjacent memories. The stitches will also tell you in which Timeline the
shows the unobscured version of nominating the same timeline. The player acting on Billy’s behalf must not card appears. Don’t be surprised if you find you have to reorganise the
a corresponding Partial Memory. shuffle the deck or return any previously drawn cards to the deck before cards in a Timeline when new Memories are revealed.
Billy’s surroundings are now clear they start drawing cards.
⋅ To Inquire about a different timeline, the player acting on Billy’s behalf
Check and Place
as he reveals more about this
specific time from his past. The must return all discarded cards to the Clear Memory Deck and shuffle it Clear Memories
edges of each card have the same ‘stitches’ as the before proceeding. Then the assigned Nurse performs the Inquiry Action After placing Partial Memories,
associated Partial Memory to help with placing the card in Billy’s Collected again, using a Care Token and choosing a new Timeline. players then secretly check the Clear
Memories (see Talk About Billy). Memories they have obtained (during this and previous
⋅ When the assigned Nurse either chooses to stop (or has no more Care
rounds), comparing them against the Partial Memory
Tokens), any discarded cards are returned to the deck ready for the next
Inquiry Action time an assigned Nurse wishes to use the Inquire Action.
Cards already in play. When looking for a match, use the
Inquiring is a free action which any assigned Nurses may take multiple figure of Billy, as well as the stitches, as a guide. Billy will appear
times. Assistants may not perform this action. Begin by deciding who will There is no limit to the number of times an assigned Nurse can Inquire, as exactly the same on both versions of the memory.
be talking to Billy. Hand the Clear Memory Deck to a different player and long as they have the Care Tokens to do so.
If a Clear Memory matches a Partial Memory in play, place it on top of
have them shuffle it. This person will act Remember, any Memory Cards drawn MUST REMAIN FACE DOWN UNTIL the corresponding card. The Partial Memory is not removed. Any Clear
on behalf of Billy, sharing memories in THE END OF THE ROUND. Memories that do not match are kept face down in front of the player
greater detail than before. without revealing them to other players. These Clear Memories may still
For each Inquiry Action taken: be checked when Talking About Billy in later rounds.
⋅ The Inquiring Nurse places one Care Token on the Inquiry action space of Note: Players may choose to place a Marker Token on Clear Memories as a
reminder of which cards have been discovered.
the current Patient Card.
⋅ They then nominate a Timeline [1-5] that already has a Partial
Memory in play.
⋅ The player acting on behalf of Billy then draws cards face down, one by
one, from the bottom of the deck. Keep drawing until an Event or Memory

9
 STRESS
Working in a hospital is stressful. Gaining Stress limits the flexibility of the
Shift Manager when assigning Staff. It also restricts a Nurse’s ability to talk
to Billy. Nurses and Assistants gain Stress if they are ever required to cover
more than one Shift during a day (see Providing Cover, page 6). When a Nurse
or Assistant gains Stress, place a Stress Token on that Pawn.
⋅ Nurses can carry a maximum of three Stress.
⋅ Assistants can carry a maximum of two Stress.
⋅ On-Call Assistants never gain Stress.
The Price of Stress
The impact of Stress is felt in the following ways:
⋅ If a Nurse gains Stress: they must immediately select either a Care
Token, a random Partial Memory or a random Clear Memory. This is
returned to the supply or appropriate deck.
⋅ If an Assistant gains Stress: the Shift Manager must immediately
select either a Care Token or a random Partial Memory for them to lose.
This is returned to the supply or its deck.
If the member of Staff holds no Care Tokens or Memory Cards at the time of
gaining Stress, nothing is lost.
Gaining Stress also impairs a Nurse's abilities. If a Nurse ever holds two or
three Stress, they are no longer able to perform the Inquire or Call Action
(See Calling, page 11). A Nurse will regain the ability to perform these actions
only after going On Leave, which removes all Stress.
Becoming Overstressed
When a Nurse or Assistant reaches their maximum Stress, they immediately
become Overstressed. If this occurs, they complete the Shift as normal but
cannot be assigned to a later Shift during the current day. At the end of the
day, they are forced to go On Leave and are unavailable for work the next day.
They will return the following day, Stress free.
If the Nurse scheduled to be Shift Manager the next day is Overstressed and
forced to go On Leave instead, the Care Team will receive a Hospital Warning
(See this page).
10
Going On Leave
Between the Morning and Day Shift of each round the Shift Manager can choose
to manage Staff Stress levels by sending one or more of the team On Leave. A
Staff member still in the Break Room following the Morning Shift can be sent
On Leave that day. Move the Pawn representing the member of Staff to the On
Leave space . The member of Staff is not available to work the rest of the
day, but will return Stress free at the start of the next day. The Shift Manager
may not go On Leave - they have a job to do!
THE ABOVE RULES COVER EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY SCENARIO 1
OF HOLDING ON: THE TROUBLED LIFE OF BILLY KERR.
EXAMPLE: Before revealing the Patient Card for the Day Shift, the Shift
Manager (after discussing it with the player) decides to send the Stressed
Nurse (Yellow Pawn) home On Leave. Their Pawn is moved to the On Leave
space and remains there for the rest of the day. They will return to work the
next day, Stress free.
HOSPITAL WARNINGS
There are three circumstances under which Staff can receive
a Hospital Warning:
⋅ If Staff fail to provide Billy with Medical Care at least once per day.
⋅ If the Nurse scheduled to be Shift Manager the next day is
Overstressed and forced to go On Leave instead.
⋅ If the Shift Manager cannot assign enough Staff to fully cover a Shift.
Should players ever receive a Warning, take a Warning Token and place
it on the Shift Manager Board. If a second Warning is received during the
game, players immediately lose the Scenario.
FOR TRUE INVESTIGATORS: While the character of Billy is
fictional, the events he lived through are very real. Dotted
throughout the Memory Cards and Narrative Deck are references to
real-life locations and historical events. With a little investigation
you can uncover a wealth of information about Billy’s turbulent
past. When pieced together, it will provide a more detailed timeline
of his life. While this additional knowledge is not required to enjoy
the game, we believe it will enhance your experience, deepening
your connection with Billy.
RULES FOR SCENARIO 2 AND BEYOND RULES CHANGES FOR TWO OR FOUR PLAYERS
FOCUSING BILLY’S ATTENTION CALLING TWO PLAYERS:
In later Scenarios, you will want to ask Billy about Memories from specific Some Scenarios will require players to make contact with people from Billy’s In a two player game, the Care Team will be smaller, so the Shift Manager
Timelines. When assigned Nurses gain Partial Memories as a result of providing past. The Setup & Rules Card for the Scenario will tell you that the Contact Tile may cover one additional Shift without gaining Stress. When providing
Palliative Care they may, instead of drawing random Partial Memory Cards, will be used. It will also provide the rules for Calling. When setting up, place the cover, they are not restricted to covering consecutive Shifts. They may
choose to Steer the Conversation OR Persist in an effort to gain specific cards. Contact Tile near the board, below the Patient Deck. move from the Morning Shift to the Night Shift if required. If they have only
The two options may not be combined. When assigning Staff to a Shift, the Shift Manager may also assign a Nurse to been assigned to one Shift during the day, the Shift Manager may use this
flexibility to return to the Break Room area at the end of a day, gaining two
Steer the Conversation make a Call. Move the Contact Tile below the current Shift space and place the
Care Tokens.
To Steer the Conversation, use one Care Token and nominate a Timeline. The Pawn on the open Staff space on the tile. With some judicious planning, it is
Timeline must already have a Partial Memory in play. Then, for each card gained possible to make a Call more than once during a day. FOUR PLAYERS:
from talking to Billy: After the Patient Card for the Shift has been completely resolved, follow the In a four player game, the Care Team is larger. As a result, the Shift Manager
⋅ The player acting on behalf of Billy draws cards face down, one by one, from instructions for Calling outlined on the Scenario card. is not needed on the ward. At the start of the day during Handover, the new
the bottom of the deck. Keep drawing until an Event or Partial Memory from A Nurse may be assigned to make a Call as long as: Shift Manager takes their Pawn and places it on the Shift Manager board.
the nominated Timeline is drawn. Ignore any Partial Memory Cards from other They may not be assigned to any Shifts during the day, including Calling. At
Timelines that are drawn. ⋅ The criteria outlined in the Scenario Rules are met. the end of the day, after resetting the board, move the Shift Manager’s Pawn
⋅ The Staff space on the Contact Tile is unoccupied. to the Break Room area. They do not receive Care Tokens and will return to
⋅ If an Event is drawn, reveal and resolve it immediately (See Events, page the ward at the beginning of the next day.
8). Event Cards still count towards the number of cards drawn, unless an A Nurse carrying two or more Stress may not be assigned to make a Call. WHO IS BILL
Ignore Event is triggered. Y KERR? INTR
OD UCTION
A Nurse assigned to make a Call is still subject to normal rules regarding Stress
⋅ If a Partial Memory from the nominated Timeline is drawn, keep it face down. and providing cover. REPLAYING A COMPLETED SCENARIO
Pass the card to the Inquiring Nurse. On her way
out,
help us disco the Head Nurse turns
It is possible to replay a Scenario in Holding On. To do WHO IS BILLY ver his next of
kn ow how KER R? INTRODUCT kin, let them
to you. ‘Liste
cons kn
Persist this, retrieve all Narrative Cards from the box marked but you talk cious Billy is1 of his su ow he’s bei
ION
anyway abou rroundings,
ab ouwayt him t Australia— wh
with the Scenario number you wish to play. Sort the out, the—
On her
Heaan d ewhturnen whether an
When a Partial Memory Card is drawn, the assigned Nurse talking to Billy may know how cons his next of kin, let them th‘List yon
d Nurs
help us disc s to you. er
over
e outis any clueressp
know he’s bein forno
en
but you talk cious Billy is of his surr g looked after thaton mighse
t to th
at, ab
cards into numerical order with the card titled Personal
anyw ound .’ You don’t
about him—an ay about Australia—w ings, whether he can

spend one Care Token to ignore the drawn card. They must accept the next
dwhen there heth even
is no response er anyone there might hear you,
to that, abou be worried

INTRODUCTION 2
t London.

on top of the pile. Play theBILL

game as ?normal.
Partial Memory Card drawn, unless they use another Care Token to Persist WHO IS Y KERR
SC ENARIOAR
SCEN
1 IO 1
CONTINUE
READING
>

further. When Billy has finished talking, the ignored cards are returned to the
#1B

Partial Memory Deck. RESETTING THE GAME said

first word he has
NOTE: Events cannot be ignored. They are immediately revealed and resolved as normal. . ‘Belfast’—it’s the . Billy’s
mo ves on the pillow: No , to tel l the Head Nurse
Holding On has been
Bil designed to be
ly’s he ad
Belfast. reset andgo
Home.’ You to sta nd
TheKERReff? ort of talking is
—‘I was going… to grips yours. ‘Please,’ he gaWHO spsIS.BILLY INTRODUCTION 2
replayed as many times
hand as
rea ch you
es ou t wish.
an d If for any
my ow n… I wa nt to tal k.’
‘Don’t leave me on
reason you need to nerebuild
arly too mu thech. Narrative Deck,
said
first word he has
‘Belfast’—it’s the Head Nurse. Billy’s
on the pillow: No. stand, to tell the
Billy’s head moves Home.’ You go to of talking is
Belfast. effort
—‘I was going… to grips yours. ‘Please,’ he gasps. The

sort the cards into numerical order with the (A)

and to talk.’
hand reaches out on my own… I want
. ‘Don’t leave me
nearly too much >
& RULES
TO SETUP
CONTINUE
side facing up. You will find the reference number
>
& RULES
#2A#2A
TO SETUP
CONTINUE

in the bottom right corner of each card.

SCENARIO

1
SCENARIO

NOTE: Some cards are intentionally numbered on one side only for gameplay purposes.
In such cases use the (B) side as a guide when sorting cards.

11
ICON LIST
PATIENT CARDS
Condition Deteriorates
Billy’s Condition -1.
EVENT CARDS
Ignore Event
Continue drawing cards as
normal. Does not count as a
drawn card.
EVENTS VERSION
Use trust to Improve
Billy’s Condition
Use one Care Token to improve
Billy’s Condition +1.
OTHER ICONS
Positive Symbol
A positive Memory
for Billy.
CREDITS:
GAME DESIGN: Michael Fox and Rory O’Connor
ILLUSTRATION: Bryn G. Jones - elevencomics.com
STORY: Rory O’Connor
/ WRITERS: Rory O’Connor and Glenn Patterson
Condition Stable Draw Partial Care Token Draw Partial Memory Inquiry ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Anita Murphy and Pedro Pereira
No change in Memory Card Gain one Care Token Card / Gain Care Token An assigned Nurse may
Billy’s Condition. Draw one card from the from the supply. Gain 1 Care Token OR draw use the Inquire Action.
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Winnie Shek
Partial Memory Deck. 1 Partial Memory Card. Can be performed multiple PROJECT MANAGER: Emma Goudie
times by different Nurses.
RULES: Michael Fox and Rory O’Connor
PLAYTESTERS: Rob Barratt, Steph Burrows Fox, Donna Docherty, Airk
Doehlman, Máire Geraghty, Lynne Hardy, Richard Hardy, Viv Keenan,
Marnie Ann Kennedy, Marco Lopez, Andrea Manca, Adam McNichol, Niamh
Scullion, Niamh O’Neill, Gonzalo Delgado Pando, Sara Pidcock, Ben Quant,
Quiet Moment Draw Memory Card Draw Memory Card, Change of Subject Hannah Slättne, Jeremy Sydik, Kezie Todd, Tina Trillitzsch, Tony Venn and
Billy has nothing to say. It still Draw one card from this Ignoring Events Take next card, ignoring any
counts as a drawn card. Memory Deck. Draw one card from this from nominated Timeline. Rain Watt, with special kudos to Simon Willis and Paul O’Connor.
Memory Deck, ignoring any
Event Cards drawn. SPECIAL THANKS: Marty O’Neill, Simon Lynch and everyone else
who shared their personal experiences that helped shape the game and
improve the level of historical accuracy. Thanks also to everyone who
believed in and supported our idea for a game about an ordinary person
who lived an extraordinary life.
Use trust to gain Condition Improves No More Talking Remove
a Memory Card Billy’s Condition +1. Billy refuses to talk any further. Once the event is resolved,
Use one Care Token to draw one Stop drawing cards immediately. remove this card from the game.
card from this Memory Deck.
RULES VERSION
Negative Symbol Send On Leave Warning Check Morning Shift / Calling
All Rights Reserved ©2018 Hub Games Ltd.
A negative Memory The point in the day when The point in the day Day Shift / An assigned Nurse may Holding On: The Troubled Life of Billy Kerr (word
for Billy. the current Shift Manager when the current Shift Night Shift use the Call Action. Can marks, logos and devices) and the Hub Games logo
has the option to send Manager must check to The three Shifts that make only be performed once are trademarks of Hub Games Ltd.
unassigned members of see if Hospital Warnings up a day at the hospital. per Shift.
PO Box 406, Belfast,
Staff On Leave. are received.
Northern Ireland, BT1 9PL
www.wearehubgames.com